The challenge with the fire service in Canada is that there are small full-time departments and there are large full-time departments; there are small volunteer departments consisting of eight or 10 firefighters protecting their community; there are first nations' communities for which again we have provincial legislation that helps drive some of their essentials for establishing and regulating bylaws and the services they provide. But there is such a varying scope.
I think what has to be determined is that this national working group's establishing of some best practice standards, as Mr. Marks has indicated, provides the basis for accessing information for an overall mental wellness road map, saying that regardless of location, “here's a program that could be of assistance, because it has worked in similar-minded areas”, or ”here are best practices that have already been established”—not trying to reinvent the wheel all across Canada, but finding a leadership piece and an advisory role to disseminate.
The CAFC, through our composition, has seven board members, but we are inclusive of all provincial, territorial, and allied associations from across this country that have a seat on our national advisory council.